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Self reference: read this page or else
1. Self reference: read this page or else
What does the "
or else" mean? Read on.
For some previous content on self reference, see
Self-referential paradoxes.
Have you ever read a book that says something like the following?
Do not change this book!
2. Read this page
Read this page!
Natural language such as English, German, Greek, etc., is inherently self-referential in that one can use the language being used to discuss the language itself.
English class uses English to study English.
German class uses German to and learn German. This is sometimes called an immersion method.
3. Programming languages
The field of programming languages in computer science is, in general, about programs that read and write other programs, including, when appropriate, itself.
A program can read another program as data. A compiler does this as input.
A program can write another program as data A compiler does this as output.
A program can read or write itself (or part of itself) as data which can then be treated as code. This is called "reflection" as a way to do "meta-programming".
4. Examples
Text on a sign:
Read this sign!
What about this on the sign?
Do not read this sign!
5. Advertising
One sometimes sees billboards along the highway that say something like this.
Caught you reading this ad!
Have your message noticed.
Rent this sign.
6. Reading
How about this sign?
If you can read this,
you can get a good job.
Or this (assume it is in very small print)?
If you can read this,
then you are too close.
7. Books
Text in a book.
Read this book!
A book that self-promotes itself and claims to offer a benefit to the reader might make this statement. What about this in a book?
Do not read this book!
Let us look at the former.
8. Minimum edit distance
In computer science, it is well known that, in general, a "
change" can be separated into the following two actions.
A "delete" action (removal).
An "insert" action (insertion)
The order does not matter, but it is usually easier to do the delete first and then the insert.
The
MED (Minimum Edit Distance) is a dual problem of the
LCS (Longest Common Subsequence) and provides a way to find the exact deletes and inserts needed no change one text into another text. What is the
LCS of these lines of text?
9. Longest common subsequence
Here are the two lines of text with lines connecting the
LCS which is "
emt-ole".
Can you see how to get the "
deletes" and "
inserts" needed to change the first text into the second text?
10. Method
Given the
LCS , the method to the first line of text into the second line of text is as follows.
Start with the LCS as "em", "t", "-", "o", "l" and "e".
For each unconnected (gray) letter in the first line of text, delete that letter (at the proper position).
For each unconnected (gray) letter in the second line of text, insert that letter (at the proper position)
Combining adjacent letters, there are
6 deletions ("
n", "
a", "
ode", "
kn", "
w" and "
edg") and
4 insertions ("
p", "
y", "
b" and "
tt").
The method is similar to go the other way, just switch the two lines of text.
11. Greek translations
The
GNT (Greek New Testament) verses displayed on this site use this algorithm so that words appearing on one version are in one color (e.g., light red) and words appearing in the other version are in another color (e.g., light blue). Words in both versions have the default background color (e.g., white, light green, etc.).
Let us look at a Bible example that refers to changes made up of "
deletes" and "
inserts".
In both cases, the references are self-referential in that the book refers to "
deletes" and "
inserts" to itself.
12. Penalty for taking away
13. Revelation 22:18
KJV: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Greek: συμμαρτυρουμαι γαρ μαρτυρω εγω παντι τω ακουοντι τους λογους της προφητειας του βιβλιου τουτου εαν τις επιτιθη προς ταυτα επιθη επ αυτα επιθησει ο θεος επ αυτον τας πληγας τας γεγραμμενας εν τω βιβλιω τουτω
The light blue text is in the Nestle-Aland Greek manuscripts, the traditional "
blue book".
The light red text is in the Textus-Receptus Greek manuscripts, the traditional "
red book".
14. Plagues spreading like a flag
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: [kjv]
μαρτυρω εγω παντι τω ακουοντι τους λογους της προφητειας του βιβλιου τουτου εαν τις επιθη επ αυτα επιθησει ο θεος επ αυτον τας πληγας τας γεγραμμενας εν τω βιβλιω τουτω [gnt]
Additions to this book have a penalty. Who might add to this book? Does the "
hearing" part provide an escape clause?
The modern Greek word
"πληγή" (plee-GEE) ≈ "plague" which is related to the English word "
flag" as both derive from the The
PIE (Proto Indo-European) root
"*pleh" ≈ "flat, broad" as in a "
plain" (which comes from this root) as do "
palm" (of a hand), plan, plane (as is smoothing a surface), plain, etc.
15. Penalty for taking away
Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. [kjv]
και εαν τις αφελη απο των λογων του βιβλιου της προφητειας ταυτης αφελει ο θεος το μερος αυτου απο του ξυλου της ζωης και εκ της πολεως της αγιας των γεγραμμενων εν τω βιβλιω τουτω [gnt]
Deletions to this book have a penalty. Who might delete from this book? Does the "
hearing" part provide an escape clause?
Hopefully one "
take away" from this verse is that one should not "
take away" from any verse.
Consider what Jerome did when he translated the Greek into Latin in this book.
16. Revelation 22:19
KJV: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Greek: και εαν τις αφαιρη αφελη απο των λογων βιβλου του βιβλιου της προφητειας ταυτης αφαιρησει αφελει ο θεος το μερος αυτου απο βιβλου του ξυλου της ζωης και εκ της πολεως της αγιας και των γεγραμμενων εν τω βιβλιω τουτω
Latin: et si quis deminuerit de verbis libri prophetiae huius auferet Deus partem eius de ligno vitae et de civitate sancta et de his quae scripta sunt in libro isto
Tyndale: And yf eny man shall mynyshe of the wordes of ye boke of this prophesy god shall take a waye his parte out of the boke of lyfe and oute of ye holy citie and fro thoo thynge which are written in this boke.
17. Revelation 9:11
KJV: And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Greek: και εχουσιν εφ επ αυτων βασιλεα τον αγγελον της αβυσσου ονομα αυτω εβραιστι αβαδδων και εν τη ελληνικη ονομα εχει απολλυων
Latin: et habebant super se regem angelum abyssi cui nomen hebraice Abaddon graece autem Apollyon et latine habet nomen Exterminans
Wycliffe: And thei hadden on hem a kyng, the aungel of depnesse, to whom the name bi Ebrew is Laabadon, but bi Greek Appollion, and bi Latyn`he hath a name`Extermynans, that is, a distriere.
Tyndale: And they had a kynge over them which is the angell of the bottomlesse pytt whose name in the hebrew tonge is Abadon: but in the greke tonge Apollion.
18. Additions
Revelation 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. [kjv]
εχουσιν επ αυτων βασιλεα τον αγγελον της αβυσσου ονομα αυτω εβραιστι αβαδδων και εν τη ελληνικη ονομα εχει απολλυων [gnt]
et habebant super se regem angelum abyssi cui nomen hebraice Abaddon graece autem Apollyon et latine habet nomen Exterminans [v]
What exactly does it mean to "
add to" or "
subtract from" in the context of the statements of this book? We see some additions here by Jerome in the Latin Vulgate that are later translated by Wycliffe and the Geneva Bible.
Jerome adds both "and in the Latin tongue is" and "which means ...".
Wycliffe translates both parts.
The Geneva Bible just adds the second part.
Does Jerome risk a penalty by clearly adding to the original text? What about other versions and translations which, over the centuries, have done the same thing - to Revelation and all the other books?
19. Deuteronomy 4:2 Command
Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. [kjv]
Before entering the promised land, the Israelites were given a similar command.
This was over a thousand years before Jesus.
How well did the Israelites accomplish this goal in that time?
20. Deuteronomy 4:2
KJV: Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Hebrew: לא תספו על הדבר אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם ולא תגרעו ממנו לשמר את מצות יהוה אלהיכם אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם׃
Greek: ου προσθησετε προς το ρημα ο εγω εντελλομαι υμιν και ουκ αφελειτε απ αυτου φυλασσεσθε τας εντολας κυριου του θεου υμων οσα εγω εντελλομαι υμιν σημερον
21. Revelation 1:3
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. [kjv]
μακαριος ο αναγινωσκων και οι ακουοντες τους λογους της προφητειας και τηρουντες τα εν αυτη γεγραμμενα ο γαρ καιρος εγγυς [gnt]
22. Revelation 1:3
KJV: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Greek: μακαριος ο αναγινωσκων και οι ακουοντες τους λογους της προφητειας και τηρουντες τα εν αυτη γεγραμμενα ο γαρ καιρος εγγυς
Latin: beatus qui legit et qui audiunt verba prophetiae et servant ea quae in ea scripta sunt tempus enim prope est
Tyndale: Happy is he that redith and they that heare the wordes of the prophesy and kepe thoo thinges which are written therin. For the tyme is at honde.
Luther: Selig ist, der da lieset, und die da hören die Worte der Weissagung und behalten, was darinnen geschrieben ist; denn die Zeit ist nahe.
23. End of page